Innehållsförteckning för 69 från Simply Crochet

This issue is brought to you by the colour teal. Very much the star of the show, it’s the focus of our new series on colour from Kate Bruning on page 51. Every month we’ll bring you a different colour theme to enjoy, you’ll discover a bit more about it and there will be a project to make, too. Teal’s coming through as a huge trend, so different shades also make an appearance in the Desk Pop office collection (it goes so well with mustards and greys), as well as the poncho from Bergère and Ilaria Caliri’s cute peacock. What’s not to love?…

EDWARD’S MENAGERIE: DOGS KERRY LORD (£14.63, Lark Books) Create your faithful friend in crochet with this latest book from TOFT’s Edward’s Menagerie series. From Saxon the Cocker Spaniel to Rosie the Dachshund, the book includes 50 classic dog breeds. Plus, Kerry Lord shows you how to adapt the patterns to capture your very own unique pal’s good looks! GRANNY SQUARES WEEKEND EMMA VARNAM (£14.99, GMC) Put your yarn stash to good use with this book packed with ideas to make using crocheted granny squares. From hats to coasters, toys and decorations, there are 20 projects to inspire you, all of which will take just a couple of days to complete. Well, that’s your weekend sorted then! COMPLETE CROCHET COURSE SHANNON MULLETTBOWLSBY (£24.99, Sterling) This book is a perfect way into…

HOOK to HOOK Vicki Roberts “We can never have enough bags, right? I wanted to design something that will be quick and easy to make for crocheters of any skill level: an intermediate crocheter could hook this bag up in an afternoon. And because the design is constructed from squares, it can be completed one-by-one, so it’s great for beginners to hone their skills. Plus, I wanted to use pre-bought handles for ease of carrying.” See more of Vicki’s designs at www.offthehookforyou.co.uk  and www.ravelry.com/designers/vicki-roberts Charlotte Hawksworth “My boho-style bag pattern was inspired by African tribal prints and geometric fashion. I wanted to adapt these bold prints to create a crochet pattern that almost looks like a print. I think this bag will be the perfect accessory to a…

YOU WILL NEED • Twilley’s Goldfingering (80% viscose, 20% metallised polyester, 25g/100m), 1 ball of Yarn A Antique Gold (004) • DMC Petra 3 (100% cotton, 100g/280m), 1 ball of each: Yarn B Pink (54458) Yarn C Forest Green (5500) • DMC Petra 8 (100% cotton, 100g/800m), 1 ball of Yarn D Fuchsia (53805) • A 2mm (US B/1) hook • A 2.5mm (US B/1 or C/2) hook • 162 small multi-coloured beads • Stitch markers • A needle that will pass through the beads when threaded with Yarn D • Magnetic clip fastening For yarn stockists contact Wool Warehouse 01926 882818 www.woolwarehouse.co.uk MEASUREMENTS 19.5x13 cm (7½x5in) ABBREVIATIONS 4- tr cluster (yrh, insert hook in st indicated, yrh and pull up loop, yrh and draw though 2 loops)…

YOU WILL NEED • West Yorkshire Spinners Bo Peep DK (52% Falkland wool, 48% nylon, 50g/112m), 3 balls of Under the Sea (686) 2 balls of each: Tooth Fairy (011) Tin Man (305) • A 4.5mm (US 7) hook For yarn stockists contact West Yorkshire Spinners 01535 664500 www.wyspinners.com TENSION 18htr and 2 pattern repeats measures 10x10cm (4x4in) MEASUREMENTS 70x82cm (27½x31½in) ABBREVIATIONS WP (Wedged picot) Ch6, dc into 2nd ch from hook, htr in next ch, tr in next ch, dtr in next ch, ttr in next ch Master the wedged picot stitch to create a breezy centrepiece for any nursery. The beautiful stitchwork combined with these dreamy shades is so foamily pretty, you may well want to cuddle up with it yourself. NOTES The pattern is worked…

KATE BRUNING Kate is a sucker for colour, making her the perfect crafter to kick off our new series of features on colours. Take a new look at teal in all its glory on page 51. VANESSA MOONCIE Vanessa is a designer, illustrator and interior designer, and in her spare time she whipped up the utterly stupendous elephant head for our extra book. She’s our hero! KATIE JONES Knitwear designer Katie shares her exquisitely embellished wedding outfit on page 98, and we can pick up a few of her embellishing tips with her denim jacket overhaul on page 65. SARAH SHRIMPTON Discover the creative brains behind the blog Annaboo’s House on page 56. Designer, crafter, yarn dyer and teacher Sarah is certainly keeping herself busy… OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Ilaria Caliri, Amanda…

TEST YOUR PETAL Before you get to work, you’ve got to look the part, right? And for inspiration, you need look no further than this cute brooch kit, available in four lush colourways. www.woollychicdesigns.co.uk UNDER THE WIRE Take the crochet look outside by potting some blooms in London Garden Trading’s fab wire crochet planter, on Not on the High Street. PRICKLY SUBJECT If you’re not that green fingered, fake it ‘til you make it with this cool crocheted cactus pot. You can buy a PDF pattern from PlanetJune on etsy.com GOING GNOME No garden is complete without a friendly gnome, and rabbizdesign’s pattern on etsy.com  has seven little characters to hook up. Heigh ho… SIT UP! Yarn? In the garden?! Why, yes you can. Relax…

“Making stuff is way more rewarding, important and personal than buying stuff.” This month is the three-year anniversary of when I quit the day job to go Cro-Pro (yep, crochet professional). In hindsight it was a completely bonkers decision. I mean, how on earth can you make a living out of crochet?! OK, so maybe it wasn’t completely and totally bonkers – my second book of patterns was about to be published, a third had just been commissioned and I knew that if I just had a bit more time I’d be able to find all sorts of other avenues to explore. Now, three years later, I’ve had to turn down a book deal because I have too much design work on, I get to write for lovely chaps like…

YOU WILL NEED • DMC Petra 3 (100% cotton, 100g/400m), 1 ball of Black (5310) • A 2.5mm (US B/1 or C/2) hook • 75 silver teardrop sequins For yarn stockists contact Wool Warehouse 01926 882818 www.woolwarehouse.co.uk MEASUREMENTS Sequinned part of necklace measures 17x12cm (6¾x3¾in) Length of necklace including ties measures 60cm (23½in) ABBREVIATIONS Ftr (Foundation tr) Work as a standard treble stitch, but after (insert hook, yrh and pull through), work an extra ch1 before completing the st; the next st is worked into this extra ch1 For a full list, see page 92 Get hooking with the sequins that come with this issue to complete this stunning necklace. The perfect accessory for a romantic night out, pair it with a simple frock to make sure it’s…

You’ll find, in nature, a colour that falls somewhere between being an alchemist and trickster. It is found in the shimmer of a bird’s wing, the darkening sky holding onto sunset, and the elusive Himalayan poppy. I’m writing about teal, a VIP member of the blue-green family. Many, many years ago, my best friend Rosie introduced me to the enigma of teal when she described her sister’s dress to me. I was fascinated by this colour, hiding itself through the warp and weft of shot silk and only revealing itself through swishing. With time, I came to know other relatives of this wonderful tribe; luminaries such as aqua (also known as cyan), turquoise, azure and cerulean. It made me realise how much we owe to this exotic brood. Where would…

YOU WILL NEED • 5 skein Mini Sock set (75% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon, 20g/85m each) or sock yarn 100g/425m total • A 3mm (US C/2 or D/3) hook For yarn stockists contact Annaboo’s House www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AnnaboosHouse TENSION Tension is not crucial to this project, but is given as an approx guide: 22 stitches and 12 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over treble crochet using 3mm hook MEASUREMENTS 27x38cm (10½x15in) when laid flat ABBREVIATIONS Xtr (Crossed treble) Skip next st, tr in next st, working behind stitch just made, tr in skipped st For a full list, see page 92 This lightweight cowl is crocheted in beautiful, naturally avocado-dyed mini skeins, though you could substitute in 100g/425m of sock yarn for a similar effect. Sarah has arranged her…

YOU WILL NEED • Knitcraft Cotton Blend DK (50% cotton, 50% acrylic, 100g/215m), 1 ball of each: Yarn A Light Pink Yarn B Lilac • A 3mm (US C/2 or D/3) hook • A 4mm (US G/6) hook • Denim jacket • Piece of leather or faux leather, approx 30x15cm • Belt punch • Large-eyed sharp needle For yarn stockists contact Hobbycraft 0330 0261400 www.hobbycraft.co.uk MEASUREMENTS Finished heart patch measures 15x13cm (6x5in) Collar and Pockets edging measures 2cm (¾in) deep ABBREVIATIONS For a full list, see page 92 Embrace your inner cowgirl with this pretty pink jacket update that’s giving us strong Dolly Parton vibes. Once you’ve mastered the edging technique you’ll want to add it to everything. Yee ha! COLLAR AND POCKETS Foundation row Using Yarn A,…

YOU WILL NEED • Yarn and Colors Must-Have (100% cotton, 50g/125m), 1 ball of Yarn A Petroleum (70) • Yarn and Colors Must-Have Minis (100% cotton, 10g/25m), 1 ball of each: Yarn B Glass (72) Yarn C Mustard (15) • A 2.5mm (US C/1 or B/2) crochet hook • 2 safety eyes or black beads approx 5mm diameter • Stitch markers • Toy stuffing For yarn stockists contact www.yarnandcolors.com MEASUREMENTS 11 cm (4›in) tall ABBREVIATIONS For a full list, see page 92 We can’t get enough of Ilaria’s designs, and her latest has us all aflutter. This perfect peacock with his proud plumage takes full advantage of the jewel-bright shades from Yarn and Colors, too. He’s bound to turn plenty of heads… NOTES The Peacock is worked using…

HOLDING THE HOOK Try these methods and see which works best. PENCIL METHOD Hold the hook like a pencil, in your right hand (if you’re right-handed), about 3-5cm from the hooked end. If your hook has a flat area, you’ll find it comfortable to hold it here. KNIFE METHOD Hold the hook between your thumb and forefinger, about 3-5cm from the hooked end, resting the end of the hook against your palm. This will give you lots of control. HOLDING THE YARN Even tension results in even stitches. METHOD ONE Pass the ball end of the yarn between the little finger and third fingers of your left hand (if you are right-handed), then behind the third and middle fingers, over your index finger. METHOD TWO Loop the ball end of…

My ‘hooky treasure’ has to be all the clothes worn for my wedding, and especially my veil. I knew I didn’t want a wedding that was only white, so I got a rainbow bright selection! All of the pieces were made in a huge range of stitches, using small hooks. It took weeks and weeks to do, but I loved every minute of it, and it’s not often you find a project you can dedicate so much time to. The veil was given to me by my mum. It was originally hers, and I added a pompom trim onto the lace edging. It took a million hours as the thing was massive and I was crocheting with a 1.5mm hook! All the tops for the bridesmaids, flower girl dresses and…

YOU WILL NEED • Rico Design Essentials Cotton DK, (100% cotton, 50g/130m), 2 balls of each: Yarn A Grey (25) Yarn B Fuchsia (14) Yarn C Pumpkin (87) Yarn F Turquoise (33) 1 ball of each: Yarn D White (80) Yarn E Saffron (60) Yarn G Cobalt Blue (32) Yarn H Red (02) Yarn J Plum (21) Yarn K Grass Green (66) Small amounts of: Yarn N Black (90) • Rico Essentials Cotton Glitz DK (78% cotton, 19% viscose, 3% polyester, 50g/130m), 1 ball of Yarn L White (001) • Rico Fashion Cotton Metallise (53% cotton, 35% acrylic, 12% metallic yarn, 50g/130m), 1 ball of Yarn M Silver (004) • A 2.5mm (US B/1) hook • A 3.5mm (US E/4) hook • 85 silver oval sequins, 2cm • 9 teardrop…

GEO PURSE Keep your coins and other essentials safe in this must-have purse. By Matt Spiers. • DMC Woolly (100% merino wool, 50g/125m), 1 ball of each: Yarn A Mustard (091) Yarn B Charcoal (076) Yarn C Teal (077) Yarn D Light Blue (073) • A 2.5mm (US B/1 or C/2) hook • 8mm split ring (or a small keyring ring) • 10cm (4in) zip • Sewing thread to match Yarn A colour, and needle TENSION 28 stitches and 32 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) MEASUREMENTS 11x9.5cm (4¼x3¾in) FRONT AND BACK (BOTH ALIKE) Using Yarn A and a 2.5mm hook, ch19. Row 1 Dc in second ch from hook and each ch across, turn. [18 dc] Rows 2-3 Ch1 (does not count as st throughout), dc in each st across,…

PSST This is such a relaxed project – one size fits all! YOU WILL NEED • Rico Essentials Super Kid Mohair Loves Silk (70% mohair, 30% silk, 25g/200m), 6 balls of Yarn A Turquoise (022) • Rico Creative Lamé (62% polyester, 38% polymide, 25g/135m), 1 ball of Yarn B Gold (002) • A 4mm (US G/6) hook • A 4.5mm (US 7) hook • Stitch markers For yarn stockists contact Rico Design www.rico-design.de/en/home TENSION 17 sts and 8 rows over main stitch pattern using a 4mm hook 15 sts and 8.5 rows over treble crochet using a 4mm hook MEASUREMENTS One size only – see diagram below for measurements ABBREVIATIONS For a full list, see page 92 This luxuriously lacy poncho will become your go-to piece this spring…

PSST You can add as many tasse›s as you like! YOU WILL NEED • Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (55% wool, 33% acrylic, 12% cashmere, 50g/125m) Yarn A Citrus (18) • Debbie Bliss Botany Lace (100% wool, 100g/410m), 1 ball of Yarn B Bilbao (1789) used doubled for all sizes See table for yarn quantities and measurements • A 3.75mm (US F/5) hook For yarn stockists contact Laughing Hens 01829 740903 www.laughinghens.com TENSION 22sts and 20 rows to 10x10cm (4x4in) over stitch pattern using a 3.75mm hook or size needed to achieve stated tension ABBREVIATIONS Picot Dc, ch3, ss into top of dc just worked For a full list, see page 92 Combine the spring trends for cross stitch and tassels in this beautifully lightweight tee, worked in luxurious…

YOU WILL NEED • Yarn and Colors Must-Have (100% cotton, 50g/125m), 5 balls of Petroleum (70) 1 ball of each: Peach (42) Coral (41) • A 3.5mm (US E/4) hook • A cushion pad 36x36cm (14x14in) For yarn stockists contact Yarn and Colors www.yarnandcolors.com or LoveCrochet www.lovecrochet.com TENSION Each rectangle measures approx 17.5x7cm (7x2¾in) ABBREVIATIONS Picot Ch2, ss into 2nd ch from hook For a full list, see page 92 Kate has designed a stunning cushion using the colour teal as a base and accenting it with its complementary colour, coral in the form of two-tone feathers. Together they make a stand-out style statement for your home. NOTES Feathers are worked in the round along both sides of the starting chain. The pattern is written…

We’ve highlighted six new workshops from a variety of crafts across the UK. Give your crafty hands something new to explore or extend your knowledge with some of the best tutors in the industry. 1 CRAFTY KILNER Beginner crochet lessons – you will learn to chain, double, treble and half-treble crochet; hold a hook and yarn; vary tension, change colour and follow a pattern. craftykilner.co.uk 2 WHICHCRAFT WOOLS We have a fortnightly Knit and Knatter sessions where like-minded ones can meet, complete projects and help eachother when needed. 02086433211. Facebook: @whichcraftwool 3 THE YORK MAKERY Regular crochet, knitting and other craft workshops, beginner and more, in our colourful shop workspace in the centre of beautiful York. theyorkmakery.co.uk 4 MADE IN WINCHESTER Make something beautiful from a simple ball of wool.…

“If I see some gorgeous yarn it always seems to come home with me.” There comes a moment in every crocheter’s life when you realise your yarn stash is gaining a life of its own. We speak to some crochet designers to discover their solutions for wrangling and making the most of their stash. Our first port of call was Emma Leith (www.emmaleith.co.uk). “I know my stash has reached crisis point when I run out of room on the shelves, under the beds, in the loft and under the stairs and I have no idea where anything actually is anymore,” she confesses. “There are times when I’ll be stepping over several baskets each containing the latest WIPs just to reach the sofa! At that stage, it’s organised chaos – baskets…

1 To start a Magic Loop, don’t make a slipknot. Instead, make a loop with the yarn, leaving a tail around 10cm long. Make sure the tail end is under the working yarn. 2 Insert your hook into the loop, from front to back. Wrap the working yarn around the hook anticlockwise and pull the yarn through the loop. 3 Make a t-ch for the sts you want to work (here, we made 1 t-ch for dc). Now work your sts into the Magic Loop, making sure you work over both the loop and the tail end (so two yarn strands). 4 Once you’ve worked the number of stitches you need, simply pull the tail end of the yarn to draw up the ring. Work a slip stitch to join…

OTTERLY ADORABLE These dudes from issue 40 stand a chance of winning the Cutest Creatures in Crochet Award (we challenge you to find something cuter). They’ve been hooked by Michelle Markwell, who has paid particular attention to those heart-shaped tails and those prettily clasped paws. Squee! FANCY FEET Well hello, Twinkle Toes! Sarah Cocker’s masterful socks from issue 62 are a total joy – just look at that fab ribbing. We hope it’s still chilly enough in April to cosy up in them in bed with a good book, and a cup of something toasty warm… BAG IT UP We are thoroughly impressed with Brenda Cockburn’s Bargello bag from issue 65 – just look at the wavy rainbow detailing, and those colour combinations are stunning. We just know it would…

This is the second pattern in our gorgeous Hook ‘n’ Learn blanket crochet-along, which we’ll be running over the next year. Perfect for beginners and fun for more experienced stitchers, you’ll learn how to do 12 attractive stitches, then we’ll show you how to put it all together in the last issue. Choose between the beautiful soft shades of Stone Washed XL, or the bright tones of Colour Crafter (or go mad and make both!). Waffle stitch is a great one to add to your repertoire – it feels so bouncy! You’ll need to make two waffle blocks if you are making the Colour Crafter version. STONE WASHED XL Make one Waffle Block • Scheepjes Stone Washed XL (70% cotton, 30% acrylic, 50g/75m), 1 ball of Peridot (867) • A…

As well as being a talented crochet artist, Vanessa is a renowned commercial interior designer, illustrator and author. Working from her studio in the rural village of Firle, East Sussex, Vanessa got into crocheting jewellery after building up a business making and selling fabric corsages. “About 12 years ago I was browsing through my old collection of old crochet patterns, and I was tempted to pick up a crochet hook again after having left it for such a long time,” she says. This was just the beginning for Vanessa. Bringing crochet to the foreground of her existing creative work made sense because it had been in the background for much of her life. “My mother and grandmother did a lot of crocheting, knitting and sewing,” she says. “They taught me…

1 To start your sequin adventures, you’ll need to thread the sequins onto your yarn. You’ll also need some cotton thread and a needle that’s narrow enough to pass through the hole of your sequins. 2 Cut a piece of cotton thread approx 30cm long. Fold it in half and thread the two ends through the needle. Pull the ends through by approx 5cm, to create a loop in the thread away from the needle. 3 Take your yarn and pass the end through the loop in the thread. 4 Thread a few sequins onto the needle. (If your sequin has a front and back, make sure you insert the needle into the front of the sequin.) 5 Pass the sequins down over the thread then gently slide them onto…